Mechanical musical instrument.



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N0.87a,3zo. PATENTBD`DBC.1O,1907. F.G.LYNDB.

MECHANICAL MUSICAL INSTRUMENT. .C

APPLIGATION FILED H1345, 19o?.

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PATENTED DEC. 10, 1907. l I'. G. LYNDE.

MECHANICAL MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.

APPLICATION PILE-Il FEB. 15, 1907.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK G. LYNDE, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO JOHN A. WESER, OF NEWl YORK, N. Y.

MECHANICAL MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 10, 1907.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK G. LYNDE, a citizen of the United States, residing in the borough of Manhattan, of the city of New York, State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mechanical Musical Instruments, of which the following-,is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof.

This invention relates to automatic piano players or self-playing musical instruments of like nature in which the hammer or other playing devices are operated severally by independent pneumatics or small bellows which. are controlled by the music sheet and are actuated from a common feeder bellows.

The invention is particularly concerned with the construction of the hammer pneumatic action and has for its object to improve the construction thereof as hereinafter described.

The invention will be more fully eX-- plained hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings in which it is illustrated and in which- Figure 1 is a view in front elevation of a portion of a self-playing piano to which the invention is applied, the front casing being partly broken out. Fig. 2 is a view of a single pneumatic, partly in elevation and partly in longitudinal vertical section, Fig. 3 is a top view of the parts shown in Fig. 2.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings as applied to a piano in which the mechanical playing devices are inclosed within the piano case. As the present improvements, however, relate only to the construction of the hammer pneumatic action it is unnecessary to illustrate and describe in detail the construction of the piano. It will be sullicient to enable the application 'of the invention to be understood, to point out that each 'linger key 1 acts as usual through an abstract 2 upon the playing devices represented at 3. The hammer pneumatic actions 86 are preferably located above the key board of the instrument and comprise, as usual, a movable bellows member 170, arranged to engage, as by means of a projecting finger 171, the corresponding abstract 2. The stationary membersl172 of the several pneumatics are likewise independent of each other, each being provided with a port 173. In general, the action is constructed substantially as usual, with a primary air chamber 174 and a secondary air chamber 175. Both of these chambers in the present instance are shown as formed in a board 176 which is common to all of the pneumatics of a tier or series or set.

The chambers 174 and 175 are completed by a top board 177 which carries the valves. Each secondary chamber 175 communicates directly with a Wind trunk 85 which is common to all of the pneumatics of the series or set, connecting them with the heading or headers S4 at one or both ends, through whichr communication is established with the feeder bellows as shovvn. Each primary chamber 174 communicates, as is usual, through a duct 174a, indicated by dotted lines in Figs. 2 and 3, with the lower part of the secondary chamber 175, that is with the chamber below the diaphragm. 17 5a. The upper part of the chamber 175 also communicates, through a duct 1751), with the port 17 3 of the corresponding bellows. The duct 174 communicates directly with a passage a which opens at one end into the chamber 174 and at the other end to atmospheric air. This passage is controlled by a double valve which comprises a wooden stem l) provided at its lower end with a button or valve plug c and at its upper end with a button or valve plug d. rl`he stem l) is reduced. at its middle portion to a'liord a free air way from the duct 17 4a. The valve plug c rests upon the diaphragm 1740, so that when communication between the lower part of the chamber 174, lbelow the diaphragm 174C, and atmospheric air is established through the tracker board, as usual, the diaphragm 174C rises, carrying the plug c against the lower end of the passage end and the plug d away from the upper end thereof, permitting the pressure of the atmospheric air to be admitted to the lower part of the secondary chamber 175 through the passage 1741. Normally the plug d closes the upper end of the passage a, so that communication is established between the upper part of the chamber 17 4 and the lower part of the chamber 175, The air duct between the secondary chamber 175 and the bellows is also controlled by a valve, as usual, for the purpose of placing the bellows in communication with atmospheric air or with the feeder bellows through the chamber 17 5 and the wind way 85. For this purpose av valve chamber g is formed in the passage 175i), communicating with atmospheric air through a port h and with the chamber 175 through a port i. A valve plug 7c controls both ports 7L and i resting normally upon and closing the port fi. This port is provided with a bushing l which coperates with the valve 7c, thus forming a better seat than if the valve rested upon the flat floor of the chamber g. Ordinarily the valve 7c is carried by a stem which rests upon the diaphragm 175% but in the present case the stem m is provided simply as a guide for the valve 7s and does not rest upon the diaphragm 1752 To effect the movement of the valve from the diaphragm 175, a spool or sleeve washer n, suitably enlarged at its bottom to cooperate with the diaphragm, and perforated as at o, to receive the guide rod m, is adapted to transmit the movement of the diaphragm to the valve. This sleeve or spool n acts positively to lift the valve, whereas the leather nuts usuallyT employed in the ordi nary construction above and below the valve, upon the stem which usually rests upon the diaphragm, are apt to slip more or less, particularly the lower nut by which the valve is lifted. 'Vith the sleeve or spool n the action of this valve therefore becomes more positive and the liability ofthe valve to become disarranged through slipping of the nut is wholly obviated. The port h is likewise provided with a bushing p which fits tightly in the port and may be raised or lowered therein to regulate the lift of the valve 7c, for which it also forms a seat.

The front board 17 6d which is common to all of the valve chambers 174 is neither secured permanently in place nor is it detachable, as heretofore, but is hinged at its upper edge, as by aleather or fabric hinge 17 6b, to

thetop board 177 and islocked bylatches 1 7 GC. The 'Ilexible devices 174d which connect the lower portions of the several primary chambers 174 with the tracker board are connected with conduits 174se formed in the front board, the latter communicating as usual with the lower portions of the chambers 174. This construction permits access to be had readily, when necessary, to the interior of the chambers 174 without the inconvenience of having a separate part to handle. If desired screws may also be employed to secure the iront board to the board 176, as indicated by dotted lines at 176d in Fig. 3.

The operation of the improved pneumatic will be readily understood without further explanation.

l claim as my invention:

A pneumatic action for mechanical musical instruments, comprising a board having the primary and secondary chambers formed therein, the primary chamber opening through the front of the board, a top board a diaphragm between said chambers secured to the iirst named board, a front board hinged to the top board and having conduits l to communica-te with the lower portions of the primary chambers below the diaphragm, and latches to hold the front board irmly against the first named board and closing the front openings of the primary chambers. This speciiication signed and witnessed this eleventh day of Febry. A. D., 1907.

FRANK G. LYNDE.

Signed in the presence ol- SAMUEL GOOTENBERG, CONRAD HAIRIS. 

